Are you searching for a guild of “friendly, mature people” who “have fun” in either a “social” or “raiding” context? You’re in luck! You’ll find those terms in most guild recruitment ads for WoW’s 10 million players worldwide. On second thought, that may be more than good luck; it’s more like an avalanche of virtually identical guild profiles. Will those terms help you discern any meaningful distinctions between these groups of players? That’s a lot of “friendly” people to sort through.
Many guilds are fairly easily described by their schedules and raid progressions (or their lack of either). More likely, though, the essence of your group — the part that gives it its flavor and makes it stand apart from other guilds — is somewhat trickier to describe. “Social,” “casual,” “raiding” …These terms describe most guilds. And even terms that seem fairly self-explanatory at first glance can be problematic for players trying to evaluate a potential fit. “We’re a dedicated roleplaying guild.” OK, so what’s the spin? One RP guild might maintain a military structure and campaign, while another plays out some very adult-themed interpersonal dramas — definitely not interchangeable concepts!

Our experience is that player and guild drama becomes inevitable when members end up unhappily guilded in a group that doesn’t truly fit. The Drama Mamas frequently get mail from players who find their guildmates nice enough but still have that itchy feeling that something just isn’t clicking. The fit you want is probably out there, but the terminology and labeling for these guilds hasn’t quite caught up yet.

What are you looking for in a guild? What sort of group will help you enjoy playing World of Warcraft? Let’s figure it out — and if you’re looking for a particularly specialized type of guild, we’ve included a few niche group suggestions to kickstart your research.